Local briefs package

The national award-winning Susquehanna Chorale, under the direction of Artistic Director Linda L. Tedford, has limited openings for its 2016-17 season and invites interested adults to audition.

Auditions will be held on Monday, August 15 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 212 Cocoa Ave. in Hershey, by appointment.

This season will feature a performance of Faure's Requiem in November with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. The chorale’s Christmas concerts will feature "Fantasia on Christmas Carols" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, as well as traditional carols and songs of the season.

The chorale’s mission is to enrich lives and communities through the transcendent power of choral singing to reflect and evoke the wealth and beauty of human experience, and one of the primary qualifications is a love of choral singing as a way of expressing and communicating ideas and emotions.

The chorale has received critical acclaim for its work, including the Margaret Hillis Achievement Award for Excellence, the highest award of the national choral association, Chorus America. Most recently, the chorale was named a finalist in the community chorus division of the American Prize 2015 competition.

Rehearsals are held weekly on Monday evenings in Hershey, from September to early May. Regular season concerts are held in December and early May. Additional requirements are available at the chorale’s website or through the office.

The chorale is Ensemble-in-Residence at Messiah College. The chorale is funded, in part, by the Cultural Enrichment Fund, the capital region’s united arts fund.

For more information or to schedule an audition, contact the Susquehanna Chorale Office at 717-533-7859 or sc@susquehannachorale.org.

National Night Out

On Tuesday, August 2, the Derry Township Police Department will be hosting National Night Out in the first block of West Caracas Avenue adjacent to the Hershey Volunteer Fire Department, from 5 to 8 p.m. They invite everyone to come join for an evening of fun, food and prizes to celebrate community unity against crime. Pizza, hot dogs and drinks will be provided at no cost while supplies last. An example of some of the exciting local agencies, businesses and clubs that are scheduled to be present are: Hershey Fire Company, Life Lion EMS, Hershey Medical Center, Milton Hershey School, Cocoa Kayak, PA American Water, as well as multiple banks, schools and day care providers. The Red Cross will be holding a blood drive. Generous raffle prizes were donated by local businesses so please be sure to register to win. Any questions can be directed to Officer Kessler at 717-534-2202.

Palmyra Public Library

The entire community is welcome to join the Palmyra Public Library for the “Library Summer Games,” an Olympic-style party. Meet the New Executive Director of the Palmyra Public Library, Chelsea Weibley.

This party will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 13, in the parking lot of the Palmyra Public Library, 50 Landings Drive, Annville, in the FlightPath Sports Park. In case of inclement weather, the event and most of the activities will be moved inside the library.

Field Day Event

Are you interested in native plant landscapes, and managing storm water with green infrastructure? If so, you may be interested in attending the upcoming field day and tour hosted by The Chesapeake Conservation Landscape Council and Penn State Extension on Aug. 26 at the Trails and Trees Environmental Center in Mechanicsburg from 8:15 to 4 p.m.

The day will begin with an informational session on invasive plants and their control with a pesticide demonstration. The remainder of the day will feature a tour of 3 BMPs in the Harrisburg Region. The tour is targeted to landscape architects and designers, contractors, land planners, municipal officials and other landscape design and install professionals. Four speakers ranging from Master Gardeners to restoration and consulting professionals will be sharing their experiences and expertise. Continuing Education Credits will also be available.

The cost to attend is $45, which includes lunch, resource materials and transportation. Current CCLC members will receive a 10 percent discount. To register online, visit www.chesapeakelandscape.org/events/ or call Connie Schmotzer at 717-­840­-7408. The registration deadline is Aug. 17.

Butterflies Are Back

If you like butterflies, you will not want to miss out on the events happening this week in Mt. Gretna, the Pennsylvania Chautauqua. On Friday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m., join Daniel Babbitt, the Associate Director of Hershey Gardens and Butterfly Atrium, in the Hall of Philosophy for his unique program “Butterflies and You.” Continue learning about these creatures on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. with a trip to the new Butterfly House at the Hershey Gardens. Everyone will meet in the Chautauqua Parking lot to carpool. Regular admission is $8.50 and juniors (ages 3-12) are $6. Those attending will meet stained glass artist Luise Christensen-Howell, who will highlight her unique contributions to the new atrium. Space is limited, so call 964-1830 to make a reservation. This upcoming week in Mt. Gretna is full of many other events, so be sure to check them out at www.pachautauqua.org.

Conrad Weiser Homestead Womelsdorf

A historic guided tour will take place on Sunday, August 7. The 18th Living History Sunday is from noon to 4 p.m., with historic guided tours starting hourly from noon until 3 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to dialogue with re-enactors about historical context, clothing and equipment of mid-18th century in Berks County.

WellSpan Good Samaritan

The following events are upcoming at WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital:

Diabetes Self-Management Class will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. on Mondays from August 1-22.

Diabetes Support Group will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 4.

Lebanon County Walks program will sponsor a free community walk in August in Lebanon at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 10 at South Hills Park, 1100 S. Lincoln Ave.

Breast Cancer Support Group meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.

General Cancer Support Group meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.

Hospice Bereavement Support Group will meet in three sessions from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Monday, August 1; from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, August 4; and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 18.

Stroke survivors will meet from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 2.

Breastfeeding Basics will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 20 or from 7 to 8:30 p..m. Wednesday, August 31.

Breastfeeding and Returning to School/Work will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 3 and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, August 20.

Prepared Childbirth will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, August 3-20.

Public Robot Demonstration

The public is invited to a live robotic demonstration at the Whitaker Center on Saturday, July 30. First Tech Challenge has teams from Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg and Palmyra that will be demonstrating robots they have constructed this summer. These robots have been designed, built and programmed for public interaction. A full-scale field will be deployed and the public is invited to drive and compete with their robots. The demonstration begins at 11 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m.

First Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics teams help build scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. High School robot builders design, build and program robots for competition against. FTC teams across the world. FTC is a FIRST robotics league. For more information about FIRST, visit http://www.firstinspires.org. For information about this event, contact Tim Cope at tcope@imagineitrobotics.com.

Lebanon County Special Olympics

Special Olympics Lebanon County is planning its second annual Cornhole Tournament with Beef-n-Beer on Sept. 24 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Quentin Fireman Carnival Grounds. The inaugural event was a great success and an expansion of this year’s event should prove to be even better. In addition to the Cornhole Tournament and Beef-n-Beer there will be music and a craft and vendor fair. There will be fun for everyone. Bring your families and your friends and spend your afternoon supporting a worthy cause.

Vendor spots are filling up quickly, but are still available. Cost is a $10 donation. Only one per company/vendor will be available so hurry and register now. Vendor spaces will be outdoors and vendors will need to provide their own tables.

Entry to the double elimination cornhole tournament is $10 per person ($20 per team of two). Cash prizes awarded for the top three teams based on participation. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged but participants can register the day of the tournament beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Beef-n-Beer cost is $20 per person for food, soda/water and beer. Cost is $10 per person for food, water/soda only (no beer). Pre-registration is also encouraged but not required.

Food donors, board sponsors and vendors are still needed. Contact Special Olympics Lebanon County at 717-272-1332 ext 7 or email lebcoso@comcast.net if you’re interested in donating or registering. Registration forms and information available at www.lebcoso.org .

Mt. Gretna Historical Postcards

In celebration of the 125th anniversary in 2017 of the establishment of both the Campmeeting and Chautauqua areas of Mt. Gretna, the Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society is publishing a 2017 calendar filled with historic postcard scenes from Mt. Gretna’s early years. Among the scenes included in the monthly calendar pages are the Mt. Gretna Brick Company’s brickyard, a winter scene of the bridge from Mt. Gretna Park to the National Guard encampment’s parade ground, the Mt. Gretna Fire Company’s original Engine House, the Chautauqua Inn, the Mt. Gretna Park Entrance and store, women throwing quoits in the Campmeeting, the narrow gauge railroad and the Kauffman Hotel.

The calendars, which are expected to be ready for distribution in August, have a cost of $10 each until August 5 and $15 each after that date. Sales tax is included in these prices.

Calendars will be available for pick up at the Historical Society’s Museum at 206 Pennsylvania Ave. in Mt. Gretna on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. through Labor Day or by appointment by calling 717-964-1105. There is a cost of $3 per calendar for postage if the calendars are to be mailed.

Payment for calendars can be made by check made payable to the Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society and mailed to the Historical Society at P.O. Box 362, Mt. Gretna.

Questions about the calendar can be directed to the Historical Society by e-mail to info@mtgretnahistory.org or by calling 717-964-3803.